Portal:Faroe Islands/Selected article/5

The Faroese sheep (Faroese: Føroyskur seyður) is a breed of sheep native to the Faroe Islands.

First introduced in the 9th century, Faroese sheep have long been an integral part of the island traditions: The name "Faroe Islands" has been argued to ultimately derive from fær, the word for sheep in Old Norse, and the animal is depicted on the country's coat of arms. One of the Northern European short-tailed sheep, it is a small, very hardy breed. Faroes ewes weigh around 45 pounds (20 kg) at maturity, and rams are 45–90 pounds (20–40 kg). Rams are horned and ewes are usually polled, and the breed occurs naturally in many different colours, with at least 300 different combinations, each of which has its own unique name. (Full article...)